...And if there is another post about this, just point me in the right direction ... but I don't understand why this isn't just called Playin' Jam. Or ....If the song (jam) was already officially named The Main Ten, who put the lyrics to it and changed it to Playin' in the Band ?

I guess it follows along the lines of The Thirteen Jam and The Spanish Jam ... call it what you will - I was just wondering if anyone had some more info about this lil' anomoly and how which song title came to be. Particularly The Main Ten, but also Playin' In The Band. Thanks! =)

"The Main Ten" is also a track on "Rolloing Thunder", Mickey's album released in 1972. It sounds a lot more like the "Main Ten" jam than "Playin' In The Band". Other-worldly is a good description.Also on "Rolling Thunder" is "Pump Song" which evolved into "Greatest Story Ever Told" and was based on the sound the pump on the well made at Mickey's ranch.

Ahh thanks for the info guys. I found it pretty kool that the band sorta - brought this one together thru a compilation of efforts. I wondered how it developed. I find it interesting they named the jam, then reworked it, added lyrics, and waaa laaa - Playin' is born.

I remember an interview with David Gans talking about the Greatest Story Ever Told and how it developed. They actually played the sound of the pump over the air and I'll be damned if it didn't hold the beat to the song lol. Im gonna have to go back now and listen to some of these Main Tens. And for anyone else who is interested, it was Dicks Picks volume 16 (11/8/69) the peaked my interest in the jam. Excellent excellent show featuring an Uncle John's Band jam in the middle of Dark Star. If ya don't have it ... get it!

The Main Ten was an instrumental riff the Dead came up with in mid-'68. The earliest 'pure' performance we have is from 6-19-68. It pops up now & then....11-8-69 (in the Caution) 12-5-69 (after the Uncle John's jam) 6-7-70 (after the Other One) 11-6-70 (in the Good Loving)

Along with their other new songs of early '71 the Dead decided to turn the riff into a complete song, and debuted Playing in the Band on 2-18-71. It's credited to Weir/Hart/Hunter - presumably Hart originated the Main Ten, Weir added the other sections of the song, and Hunter wrote the lyrics.Playing was a catchy tune which wouldn't become a 'jam' number for another year, but it lost the spooky otherworldly feel that the Main Ten had.

You forgot to mention the greatest Main Ten ever played IMO, the one from 11/8/70 out of Dark Star and into Dancing In The Street. It was also the last one ever played. This is an amazing jam that simply MUST BE HEARD!